Pretending
by Risma
Summary: Rated for slight slash content. Narcissa finally pulls the mask over her own heart.


_Another songfic based on "Everybody's Fool" by Evanessence. I always think of Narcissa when this song is played, especially the second verse; it outlines her naivety and her power. This story was originally supposed to be from Sirius' POV about how annoying she has become since her betrothal to Lucius. He remembers little bits about how he and his cousins used to be before they even knew what the word 'pure-blood' meant. I think this story is better. Read and enjoy – Risma_

**Disclaimer: **J.K. Rowling owns all to do with Harry Potter, his friends, family and enemies. This story is for fun, not profit.

**Pretending**

One Tuesday morning, Remus stumbled his way through the house to the front door to collect the mail. There lying on that morning's Daily Prophet was a small white envelope addressed to Sirius in gold script.

"What you got there?" Sirius asked, taking the envelope from him. Curious, he opened to suddenly be blasted with a face full of glitter and a spritely musical tune. He blinked away the sparkles and read aloud:

_Mr and Mrs Black request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter_

_Narcissa__ Black_

_to_

_Lucius__ Malfoy_

_on__ Saturday the 17th of June_

_at__ Malfoy Manor_

_Please RSVP spell by the end of day upon opening this invitation._

Remus watched his face turn into an evil grin. "Perhaps we should show up and exhibit public displays of affection?" He grabbed Remus' night gown and pulled him closer.

"I take it we're not going?" Remus asked quite indifferent to the wiggling of his lover's eyebrows. He knew that if the two of them were to show up, they would not last ten minutes without being blown to little bits. The Blacks did not exactly get along well with half-breeds and let alone ones that bedded their sons. He recalled the day that Sirius was kicked out of Grimmauld Place. "It's only been five years," he said out loud.

"Yeah, Sissy was never one to wait around for the opportune moment," Sirius growled and headed for the kitchen.

Only five years since he broke her heart. She had thought him different from every other man she had known and unfortunately for her, she was right. She could not bear the fact that her own cousin had his heart and so she broke communication with him in order to rebuild herself. Now she was promising her life and soul to a man whose motives were less than pure.

"Can we go?" Remus asked as he re-read the invitation.

"Why on earth would you want to –" He stopped when he noticed Remus' forlorn expression. "Don't give me the kicked cub look, Moony! You have to understand that it's a lot to risk just to give well wishes to the bride."

"Oh c'mon, Padfoot! Please? You know that Andy won't miss it for the world and you don't want her standing around defenceless do you?" Remus knew that weaving Sirius' favourite cousin into the mix would break down his resistance. Andromeda's marriage to muggle born Ted Tonks made her an outcast to the Black family too.

Sirius took a long sip of his hot chocolate, contemplating the possibility. "Perhaps we can sneak in during the reception. Avoid the unpleasantries of meeting all those people."

Remus ran around the table and gave him a hug, like a little child would to his parent. "Oh thank-you! Thank-you! It's going to be great! You won't regret it!"

"I somehow think I will," Sirius smiled and planted a kiss on Remus' forehead.

_Perfect by nature_

_Icons of self indulgence_

_Just what we all need_

_More lies about a world that_

_Never was and never will be_

_Have you no shame don't you see me_

_You know you've got everybody fooled_

Remus couldn't believe his eyes. He had never seen such extravagance and attention to detail for a simple ceremony. The Potters' wedding last year was beautiful and expensive but here, it was like heaven. The path was marked by stone statues of ancient witches and wizard each holding a glowing lantern. The closest pine trees were trimmed with red velvet and far in the distance large white drapes of glittering linen were suspended over the courtyard of Malfoy Manor where witches and wizards in their all their finery were gathered.

As they got closer to the noise Sirius started to fall back. Remus turned around and caught up with him. "What's the matter?"

"I just – I can't do this. I'm going to wait with the bike," he said giving Remus a quick peck on the cheek. "Don't be too long."

Remus watched him fade into the night unsure of whether to follow him. Then enchanting music started across the lawn and brought him hypnotically closer to the lights. There he was met by a short wizard in yellow robes with a long piece of parchment falling at his feet. "Name?" he asked.

"Uh, Remus Lupin," he said.

The wizard ran his quill down the parchment. A horrible thought ran through Remus' head. What if they announce their guests? Here he was trying to sneak into the party and they would call out his name. Every Black would try to maim - no, kill him. "You're not on the list," the wizard said and he snapped his fingers.

Suddenly a larger wizard emerged from beside him and loomed over Remus with his wand drawn. "_Accio__ Invitation_" and the parchment flew out of Remus' breast pocket. The larger wizard kept his dark eye locked on the intruder and flung the invitation at the concierge who picked it up.

"Why didn't you say you were Sirius' guest? Let him in." The larger wizard gave Remus a dig in the back with his wand to point him in the right direction.

"Lovely service you've got here," Remus smiled as he quickly left them to join the guests below.

He stayed to the edge of the crowd to avoid the Blacks who were all mingling with the finest wizarding families of the world. Remus noticed the Longbottoms had paid a quick visit as well as the Parkinsons and the Goyles. All the "pure-blooded" families were drinking champagne and selecting hors d'oeuvres, undoubtedly talking about the Dark Lord's campaign as was everyone these days.

"Remus!" He turned to see a young witch in a large purple gown waddle towards him. "My, it has been a while."

"Andy! You look absolutely lovely!" he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Lovely as a pregnant witch can be," she grumbled stroking her swollen stomach. "Where's Sirius?"

Remus sighed; "He's waiting out front for me. Doesn't want to be anywhere he's not welcome. Where's Ted?"

"At home with the same excuse. You'd reckon he'd be here comforting me but when you marry into a family of magic folk, let alone one like mine, you need time to adjust," Andromeda grimaced as she took a swig from her goblet. Remus looked on a little concerned. "Don't you start! If you'd been here half as long as I have you'd be sloshed by now too."

Before he could concur a tiny bell was rung and the guests all turned. The concierge wizard from the entrance pulled himself up onto a stool and held his hands out towards the manor. "Presenting Mr and Mrs Malfoy!"

The crowd burst into polite applause as two figures slowly made their way down the marble staircase into the gardens below. Lucius was nodding slightly to the richer wizards, walking rather stiffly in his black robes. He was a wizard of prestige and power which was why he and Narcissa were betrothed as soon as she was three years old. Narcissa had once told him that although Lucius was a perfect wizard in every way she often wondered if he was a man. He would never give her the attention and acknowledgment she craved which was why she had befriended Remus.

"How does she look?" Andromeda was hopping up and down on her toes to see over the sea of hat and tiaras.

_Look here she comes now_

_Bow down and stare in wonder_

_Oh how we love you_

_No flaws when you're pretending_

_But now I know_

_She never was and never will be_

_You don't know how you've betrayed me_

_And somehow you've got everybody fooled._

Remus was just about to speak when two grey eyes locked onto his. The guests and all their bustling seemed to slow as he took in the sight of the bride. Her long silvery hair was piled on top of her head and the conservative burgundy robes highlighted the blush creeping onto her face. She took a step toward him but the crowd closed in and the spell was broken.

"Really?"

Remus frowned at the witch beside him. "What?"

"You said that 'she was everything you had dreamt'," Andromeda poked him in the ribs. "You're lucky that I'm so inebriated I probably won't remember to tell Sirius."

This was all he needed. To be surrounded by drunken relatives while he acted like an absolute blubbering moron. Sirius was right. What did he have to prove? That he gives her his blessings? That he has every right to turn up a wedding that he does not want to celebrate? That he is as much part of the Black family as Lucius?

"I'm going to go, Andy. Do you need a lift home?" Remus asked Andromeda.

"Nah, I'm taking the port key with Frank and Alice later," she said and gave him a hug. "And this is for Sirius," Andromeda gave him a kiss on the cheek and turned back to the crowd.

Remus crept back around the tables and towards the entrance when a bony little hand pulled him into the fir trees. He pushed away the boughs and found Narcissa grinning madly at him with a finger to her lips. "Let's find somewhere to talk," she spun on her heel and took off into the darkness with silvery tresses and Remus flying behind her.

_Without the mask where will you hide?_

_Can't find yourself lost in your lie_

Finally she stopped and Remus noticed that the trees were further apart here. He looked above them and could see a patch of night with its twinkling stars. "I come here to think these days," Narcissa said, her voice was tired. "I figured at least here I could talk to you safely."

Safely? "Is Lucius threatening you?" Remus asked touching her arm.

"No," she smiled. "Lucius would never hurt me. He may not be the pin-up sensitive wizard, but he loves me. After all he wouldn't have set McNabe on you if he didn't."

He suddenly felt a tingling around his right eye where the Slytherin had punched him years ago. "I suppose in some twisted way that's love," he chuckled.

"How I wanted to do that myself," Narcissa turned on him fingers reaching for his throat. "You really know how to kill a person, Lupin. Without becoming a werewolf!"

So this was how it was going to be? She was going to enact revenge on him. It should have been obvious; with her cutting their communication, getting married in a hurry and inviting him in the first place. There was no doubt that her parents would not have wanted either him or Sirius there. If she was just going to gripe, he had better things to do.

Remus pushed past her and walked into the darkness again, taking a guess at the whereabouts of the front gate. "Remus! Wait! Please?" He slowed his pace and she caught up to him, falling in step. "I didn't want to drag that up. I don't want to push you away again," she wrapped her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're my friend. Perhaps my only friend I can trust and I want to be there for you - and Sirius - like you were for me."

He placed a kiss on her head and she smiled up at him. "You're a complex woman, Mrs Malfoy."

"Hmm. Guess I have yet to get used to that," she pushed him a little to the left and then they were back on the garden path. "So how is my dear cousin?"

"He's struggling with his Aurora training at the moment; doesn't like taking commands. He's thinking about taking up dragon training. But for all I know he could be cleaning the Floo Network next week," he chuckled.

"And you? Have you found employment yet?" Narcissa asked.

"No. After the decree that a list of all werewolves should go to every employer in Britain, I've become redundant. But, I'm studying to become a teacher through owl-order," he said.

"I'll be glad to give you any financial assistance you may need," Narcissa offered stopping in her tracks. "I'm sure Lucius won't miss a few knuts now and then."

Remus patted her hand and smiled; "Thank-you for the offer, but Dumbledore has offered me a teaching position should I ever need it. We'll be fine."

They had reached the iron gates to Malfoy Manor and there across the street was Sirius bathed in the glow of his cigarette. Remus would never let Sirius know that he found the whole anarchist persona rather appealing, especially when he wanted him to quit that filthy muggle habit.

"I am often jealous of my cousin," Narcissa said taking her arm away and smoothing out her robes. "He's got freedom, he's got that delightful vehicle and he's got you," she said as the front gates squeaked open.

_I know the truth now_

_I know who you are_

_And I don't love you any more_

_It never was and never will be_

_You're not real and you can't save me_

_Somehow you're everybody's fool_

Remus watched as her cold expression melded upon her face and the revered wealthy witch was again at his side. He turned away and walked over to Sirius whom nodded curtly to his cousin. "C'mon Padfoot. Let's go," he said reaching for his helmet. It was long night and if the brooding look on Sirius face was anything to go by, it was about to get even longer. He hitched his trousers and settled himself on the bike while Sirius took one more drag before snuffing his cigarette. "Those things can kill you," Remus repeated out of habit. Sirius gave him a reproachful glare and sat down in front of him.

"Remember what you promised!" Narcissa called from the gate and Sirius saluted her, before he kick started the bike.

"What was all that about?" He shouted near Sirius' ear.

"Never mind," Sirius shouted back and the bike took off into the air.


End file.
